Apparatus for playing duplicate whist



( No Model.)

F. SANDERSON. APPARATUS FOR PLAYING DUPLICATE WHIST.

No. 564,225. Patented July 21, 1896.

INVENTOR: fi/WLMLLV/ WITNESSES:

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UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK SANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR PLAYING DUPLICATE WHlST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,225, dated July 21, 1896. Application filed September 3,1895. Serial No. 561,187. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK SANDER- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Playing Duplicate Whist, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for playing the game of duplicate whist, but more especially to improvements in an apparatus for the above-named purpose which is the subject of my application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 550, 7 72, filed May 27, 1895.

In these my new improvements the object is to provide a more effectual means for holding the cards in position and also forming the upper plate of each piece of apparatus so that the cards may be easily reached with the fingers, to facilitate removing the same. I have also provided a centrallylocated counter,'wl1ich is so placed that it may be operated by any one of the players and thus obviate the use of the ordinary chips for counters.

Another improvement is the manner of marking the number of each particular piece of apparatus, whereby one number or more than one is always in plain view, as is fully shown and described hereinafter.

Figure 1 in the accompanying drawings is a perspective View showing the cards in position in a holder with the counter-wheel ready to begin a new game. Fig. 2 shows the base-plate in perspective, and Fig. 3 the same in plan view. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan of the base-plate, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the base-plate upside down, as shown in Fig. 4.. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the base-plate on broken line 6-7, Fig. 3.

It will be noticed that the top plate Bis smaller than the base-plate O, the base-plate projecting outwardly at four different sides where the cards D are inserted into the pockets formed by the top and base plates.

At E, F, G, and H are blocks which serve, in combination with the L-shaped blocks 1, J, K, and M, to separate the top and base plates, to form the card-pockets, and also form side and inside stops to limit the width and depth of the card-pockets. At N, at four different places in the base-plate, is a brush,

which usually consists of plush, the body of the material comprising these brushes being let down into a sunken panel in the baseplate, so that they may not be struck by the edge of the cards when the same are being inserted in position into the holder.

It is obvious'that these brushes, having a position. under each package of cards,.will serve by the resiliency of the projecting fibers to hold the cards in position with suffi'cient firmness to prevent the same from falling out in handling the apparatus, but will not prevent the easy removal of the cards when the ends of the fingers are inserted down through the holes P in the top plate B. Holes P serve also to weaken the top plate at each card-receptacle, and thus give a greater range of resiliency of the top plate at these points where it is required topermit the easy entrance of cards when bent or wrinkled at the central portion by use.

In Fig. 3 are shown'broken lines 8 9 and 8 9, which are for the purpose of showing that the faces of blocks E, F, G, and H next to the position taken by the edges of the packs of cards are not parallel with the. broken lines, but at an angle therewith, the outer orifice of the card-pockets being wider than within, for the purpose of the easy insertion of a pack of cards which are not in perfect alinement, the gradual taper of the side walls of the pockets causing the cards to slide into alinement by the time they have been fully inserted into position with the outer edges thereof even with the base-plate, as shown in Fig. 1.

The counter Q is a disk having a hole in the center to receive a vertical pin Q, upon which it is mounted to turn. The lower end of pin Q, being secured to the center of the baseplate holds the counter in position, with the top surface thereof level with the top of the top plate B, upon which are four marks R, which indicate where to stop the movement of the counter at some particular-number, and by some particular person who is designated by the diamond, heart, or club and spade characters of the cards, which are placed adjacent to each pack of cards, as shown.

The reason for having a plurality of indicator-marks R is that, in the ordinary system of disposing of the numerals near the peripheral edge of the counter, the tops of the numerals are opposite or toward the center of the counter, so that they appear in the upright position only on the side of the circle they describe, nearest each player, the opposite side from each player showing the numerals upside down. Therefore a mark on the side of the circle of numerals registering with each receptacle is better, since whatever player is selected to count his indicator-mark is next to his side of the circle of numerals, which always show upright, and there is no danger in the usual mistakes such as sometimes occur in the reversed position of the numerals 6 and 9, &c.

It is not the intention to use more than one counter Q for all the different pieces of apparatus, since the pin Q is straight and permits the counter to fall out when turned upside down, so it may be readily'inserted in any other similar apparatus, as is obvious.

Since the diameter of counter Q, is such that its peripheral edge is almost in contact with the inner edges of the packs of cards when in the position shown in Fig. 1, it is usual to re move the different packs from their pockets before the counter is inserted.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination in an apparatus for playing duplicate whist having a series of card-receptacles arranged radially in the same plane and formed by a fiat base and top plate separated by a series of blocks with a central space between the several receptacles, of a game-counter mounted in a central hole in the top plate, and in the central space, substantially as described.

2. The combination in an apparatus for playing duplicate whist having a series of card-receptacles arranged radially in the same plane and formed by a flat base and top plate separated by a series of blocks with a central space formed between the several receptacles, and a central hole in the top plate, of a central pin attached to and projecting from the bottom plate, and a revoluble game-counter mounted on the pin within the central space, and in the hole in the top plate, as specified.

3. In an apparatus for playing duplicate whist having a series of card-receptacles arranged radially in the same plane, and formed by a base and top plate separated by a series of blocks, the top plate perforated at the rear portion of each card-receptacle, whereby the fingers may be inserted at the rear of each receptacle in removing the cards, substantially as described.

4. The combination in an apparatus for playing duplicate whist having a series of card-receptacles arranged radially in the same plane, and formed by a flat base and top plate separated by a series of blocks, with a central space between the several receptacles, of a central perforation in the top plate to receive a game-counter, and a slot radiating therefrom at each card-receptacle to increase the rcsilliency of the top plate at the central portion of each receptacle, and for the additional purpose hereinbefore stated.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, this 30th day of August, 1895, in the presence of witnesses.

FREDERICK SANDERSON.

\Vitnesses:

Y. G. MAXWELL, H. A. AS-KTLDAN. 

